Cartoon Brew reports that ROBOTECH creator Carl Macek died Saturday of a heart attack. Macek formed such companies has Spumco with John K. and Streamline Pictures with Jerry Beck.

Macek started his career in the movie industry doing promo work for sci-fi films, including STAR WARS and ALIEN. In 1981, he penned the book THE ART OF HEAVY METAL (ANIMATION FOR THE EIGHTIES).

He teamed with Harmony Gold, U.S.A. to create ROBOTECH in the '80s. Later he worked for DIC and Bill Kroyer’s studio.

Through Streamline Pictures, Macek was instrumental in bringing anime to the U.S., including such titles as MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO, AKIRA, FIST OF THE NORTH STAR and LAPUTA.

In the 1990s, Macek helped develop the animate features HEAVY METAL 2000 and LADY DEATH. But he still had a hand in bringing anime to the States with such titles as AURA BATTLER DUNBINE, NARUTO and BLEACH.

Additionally, Macek was working on a novel and screenplay titled WAR EAGLES, which was based on an unproduced treatment from Merian C. Cooper. He also wrote sci-fi tales for storyleap.com.